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June 2: Disability clawbacks, drug war, pipelines, transit

Author of the article:

The Vancouver Sun

Publishing date:

June 1, 2016 • 2 minute read

NORTH VANCOUVER, BC., May 30, 2016 -- Deaf artist AJ Brown in action at home in North Vancouver, BC., May 30, 2016. She's totally deaf and can't really speak; she has cerebral palsy and has metal rods in her spine because of surgery to correct a severe lateral curvature. Yet she graduated from university with a degree in English lit and music and is now an accomplished artist.(Nick Procaylo/PNG) 00043439A [PNG Merlin Archive]NICK PROCAYLO/ PNG

Kudos to Stephen Hume for shining a spotlight on the difficulties experienced by AJ Brown on a very low income, made even lower by the cash grab of our government.

Clawing back income from her Canada Pension Plan, which she worked for and is entitled to, is plain thievery. It seems the government is punishing her for being disabled. How we treat the most vulnerable of our citizens is indicative of what kind of society we are. Time to change the ridiculous “topping up” system.

Lisa Cooper, North Vancouver

Christy Clark takes a pass on a photo op with AJ Brown; it’s not a glitzy dam or LNG project. Such a photo would put her in a bad light and demonstrate her government’s cynical treatment of her constituents, the disabled people of B.C.

Gord Lavery, Surrey

Canada behind the times on drug problem

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Re: Fentanyl explosion keeps killing, May 30

The so-called “war on drugs” has failed and spawned a crime culture. It is futile to suggest you can stop people from finding drugs. If you smugly think punishing users and traffickers is going to have any effect, you are delusional.

The rash of fentanyl overdoses, and the ease with which illicit products can be concocted and distributed, demands our governments act. Legalize and control the production, distribution, and availability of all drugs in a systemic manner. Invest the policing and incarceration budgets into product control and rehab.

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Our system is a nightmare. Considering what Portugal (and New Zealand) have initiated in their new approach to human’s addictive nature, Canada is unbelievably behind the times. Justin Trudeau, are you listening?

Paul Richards, Vancouver

‘Extremist’ pipeline proponents undermine ‘common good’

Re: NEB took due care, Editorial, May 28

I strongly disagree with The Sun’s editorial which states that a decision by the Justin Trudeau Liberals on the Trans Mountain Pipeline proposal should be viewed as “a major test of his government’s intentions to act for the common good or bow to the extreme demands of special interest groups.” Surely demands for decisive action to mitigate climate change are anything but extreme and are in society’s common interest.

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There is no question that substantial amounts of fossil fuel must remain in the ground if serious attempts are to be made to mitigate climate change. Proposals to expand pipeline transport of oil to market are clearly incompatible with the sea change in collective thinking necessary for positive action to occur. Rather than bowing to extreme demands, a rejection by the Liberal government of the pipeline proposal should be viewed as strong leadership on the climate change file.

Rob Brockley, Gabriola Island

Victoria’s transit strategy self-serving

Re: Mayors, province haggle over transit funding, May 31

Yet again, the provincial government wants to make all the decisions on transit without having to be responsible (or seen to be responsible) for the increased taxes. It’s long past time for the provincial government to come to the table to work collaboratively with the mayors to come up with an appropriate funding model for the much-needed transit in the region.

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